‘War Horse’, by Michael Morpurgo

This post is NOT about the movie. Most of the people I’ve spoken to who have seen the movie ‘War Horse’ were unaware that it was first a children’s book by Michael Morpurgo. The story he tells is World War I from the perspective of the horse. Though affected by the war, the horse is a neutral party.

Michael Morpurgo is a master storyteller and an excellent speaker. I had the pleasure of hearing him speak in our little town of Windsor last year. What he said about ‘War Horse’ at that time, just before the movie came out, is that Joey represents all of the victims of war without taking any particular side. I’ve included an interview with the author at the end of this post.

Michael Morpurgo is a great storyteller. Since I had read War Horse a long time ago, I just spent the weekend reading three more of his books. I was totally absorbed. He has written a lot of them. Have a look at his website. It’s entitled “Stories for everyone.” That is exactly right. That is what he does. He tells stories that everyone, at any age, would enjoy, and those are always the best kind. (www.michaelmorpurgo.com)

Washed up on an island in the Pacific, Michael struggles to survive on his own. With no food and no water, he curls up to die. When he wakes, there is a plate beside him of fish, of fruit, and a bowl of fresh water. He is not alone…

Aman, a refugee from Afghanistan, badly needs a friend, when a Springer Spaniel appears, seemingly out of nowhere. The dog becomes a constant companion, a shadow, and that’s what Aman decides to call her.

They say cats have nine lives, and that’s certainly true of Kaspar. From the glamorous suites of the Savoy Hotel to the servants’ quarters in the attic, to New York City, Kaspar proves that no cat is too small for big adventures. But then this is no ordinary cat. He’s Prince Kaspar Kandinksky – the only cat to survive the sinking of the Titanic…